Inspire Winter 2024

Winter 2024/25

FROM SCARCITY TO ABUNDANCE World Development Appeal

INSPIRE CAREERS Running a co-operative JANUARY READING CHALLENGE LUKE’S GOSPEL

THE POWER of saying ‘Hello’!

ENTRUSTED TO BE A MUM PLUS QUICK QUESTIONS SHE INSPIRES GRATEFUL HEART GLOBAL MISSION

Mission in Ireland 2024/25 Deaconesses

Sonya Anderson

Paula Burrows

Rachel Cubitt

Louise Davidson

Deaconess

Deaconess

Deaconess

Deaconess

Shore Street, Donagahadee

Ballygrainey

Whiteabbey

Eleanor Drysdale Deaconess Wellington, Ballymena

Joanne Dunlop

Heidi England

Sharon Heron

Roberta Irvine

Deaconess

Deaconess

Deaconess

Deaconess

Deaconess

Craigavon Area Hospital and Antrim Area Hospital

Railway Street, Lisburn

International Meeting Point, Belfast

Elmwood, Lisburn

Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and additional duties in chaplaincy in Musgrave Park Hospital

Heather Healy

Tracey Nicholl

Hazel Reid

Sylvia Santos Bryce

Rosemary Spiers

Deaconess

Deaconess

Deaconess

Deaconess

St James’s, Ballymoney

First Broughshane with additional duties in chaplaincy in the Causeway Hospital

West Church, Ballymena

Greenwell Street, Newtownards

Heather McCracken

Cathy Smith

WELCOME

WINTER ‘24/25

FROM THE EDITOR Rebecca McConnell

December is always a busy month in our churches and of course it can be a hectic family time too. We have something for everyone in this edition, including stressed out mums who perhaps feel pressure at trying to juggle so much. Gail Gamble reminds mums that God, through the Holy Spirit, can assist when it comes to parenting in a challenging and demanding world.

We catch up with Rev Helen Freeburn to be inspired by some of the encouragements she is currently finding in ministry among the folk she has been entrusted to look after as minister of Galway Presbyterian Church.

Laura Sanlon recalls an encounter in Donegal town that led her to write a powerful piece on the power of saying ‘Hello’!

The Salvation Army is synonymous with its annual Christmas appeal which features on our TVs at this time of year. We look back at the life of one of its founders, Catherine Booth, in our She Inspires series.

Whether your Christmas shopping takes you to the city of Lisburn or not, we have a great insight into the running of a co-operative based there in the market square. Julie Hoey is one of the directors and I was delighted to spend an afternoon in Sonas Lisburn to find out more about it and enjoy one of my favourite things - tea served in a beautiful china cup!

January may seem far off and it is not generally a month people look forward to, so we hope the return of the Reading Challenge will be something to get excited about as we start the new year studying God’s Word together in the gospel book of Luke.

Luke has often been regarded as sympathetic to women, as the book provides more passages about women than any other gospel, including 23 unique stories. Make sure to follow the Presbyterian Women page on Facebook to get reminders and some helpful insights into this amazing book.

Contact: Presbyterian Women, Congregational Life & Witness Department, Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Assembly Buildings, 2-10 Fisherwick Place, Belfast, BT1 6DW. Email: pw@presbyterianireland.org Web: www.presbyterianireland.org/pw Tel: +44 (0)28 9041 7257 Like us on Facebook: Presbyterian Women Digital download: issuu.com/presbyterianireland Designed by: Break - madebybreak.com INSPIRE is the magazine of PW. Published quarterly: March, June, September and December. Annual subscription: £10/€12 or £2.50/€3 per issue. Each year, an order form will be sent to INSPIRE agents. This should be returned, together with payment, to the above address. If required, invoices will be issued upon receipt of the order form. Cheques should be made payable to ‘The Presbyterian Church in Ireland’ marked INSPIRE on the reverse.

The Editor reserves the right to accept, reject or edit contributions. Opinions expressed in INSPIRE are not necessarily those of PCI, Presbyterian Women or the Editor.

We learn a Hebrew word in our reflection pages and find out about the 2024 World Development Appeal, so, boil the kettle, treat yourself to a mince pie, and enjoy this winter edition of Inspire.

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

CONTENTS 04 08 10 12 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 33 34

From scarcity to abundance Modelling Servanthood Quick Questions with Helen Freeburn Inspire Careers - Running a co-operative Book Review: Sharing the joy of Christmas with others January Reading Challenge A Reflection - Messenger Entrusted to be a mum The power of saying ‘Hello’!

She Inspires - Catherine Booth Grateful Heart Entrusted to Share - looking back at our September event Overseas prayer and news – 03

WORLD DEVELOPMENT

FROM SCARCITY T ABUNDANC Jade Farmer oversees Tearfund’s Youth & Student engagement across the UK. She has always been passionate about helping young people grow in their faith and connect that faith to God’s heart for justice.

She lives in Ballymena with her husband, Timmy, and two young children. We welcome Jade to Inspire to introduce the 2024 World Development Appeal.

D

elphine, who lives in southern Rwanda, was abandoned by her parents when she was a young child. She spent much of her childhood and teen years homeless, begging on the streets for money and food.

Everything changed when Delphine gave birth to a son who was blind.

She wanted so desperately to get him the help and support that he needed, and she cried out to God. Soon after the birth of her son, who was her fourth child, she was invited along to a Transforming Communities group by a neighbour in her village, run by Tearfund’s partner, Association of Mwana Ukundwa, working through the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda.

She said: ‘After the training, my mindset totally changed. I received training on how to grow crops that would support my children. Before, my children were malnourished, now I grow my own vegetables mixing them together for a well-balanced diet.’ Delphine and her family had moved from scarcity to abundance, which is this year’s theme for the World Development Appeal.

– 04 | INSPIRE Winter 2024/25

“I received training on how to grow crops that would support my children.

Before, my children were malnourished, now I grow my own vegetables mixing them together for a well-balanced diet.”

TO CE

Continues...

– 05

WORLD DEVELOPMENT “Despite difficult beginnings and impossible circumstances, they have forged paths forward, starting businesses on wasteland, working hard together with young children strapped to their backs, taking the little they own and allowing God to multiply it.”

I had the privilege of travelling to Rwanda with Tearfund to gather stories for this year’s Appeal. One thing that really struck me about Delphine was her radical generosity: despite still having so many physical needs herself, her heart’s desire was to give away any excess to her neighbours, to help them on their own journeys out of extreme poverty.

Delphine owned a goat, which was one of the signs of her increasing financial security. As we talked, she shared that the goat was pregnant and when the kids were born, she would give one away: she wanted to empower her neighbours to take another step away from scarcity and towards abundance by embarking on the same journey she was on. I was so aware that she could have used the sale of that goat to connect her house to the electricity network, invest in a wider range of crops, improve her home or save for a ‘rainy day’. Instead, she planned to practise generosity. God had been generous to her; it made sense to be generous to others.

Delphine was also part of a larger group of women doing great things: Tearfund’s local partners had identified an area of waste land, which they petitioned the local authority for

– 06 | INSPIRE Winter 2024/25

access to, and spent the following weeks and months turning into arable land. Delphine and 49 other women from the community have since been able to cultivate it and use it to farm.

This has been life-changing: it allows them the opportunity to work together and grow crops all throughout the year, which they can sell on at the local market. Due to their financial training and support from Tearfund, they have been able to use their surplus to generate income and enable their families and wider communities to thrive, seeing more people move from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance.

I met Delphine and other members of her community during International Women’s Month. Of course, it is wonderful to see and hear stories of successful women across the media, perhaps for things like running multi-million pound businesses or pioneering in the medical field, or being amongst the top athletes in the world. But I couldn’t help but feel that, during this trip, I was getting a glimpse of some of the most inspiring women on the face of the planet, even though they would probably never

make it onto the cover of a magazine or appear on a podcast.

It struck me that these incredible women were growing more than crops in the field.

They were growing businesses that would not only change their lives, and those of their children, but would be a picture of hope in their communities. The crops tell a story: that hope is possible, that a transformed life is within reach, that others can move from scarcity to abundance as well.

The theme of this year’s World Development Appeal centres around the principles of working together, serving our neighbours and glorifying God. What Delphine and her co-labourers were doing was exactly this: working together with the resources they shared in order to serve their neighbours and wider community, and glorifying God in the process.

It is no exaggeration to say that meeting these women changed me forever. Despite difficult beginnings and impossible circumstances, they have forged paths forward, starting businesses on wasteland, working hard together with young children

strapped to their backs, taking the little they own and allowing God to multiply it.

And what’s more, then giving sacrificially to help neighbours do the same! These women have lived through and experienced challenges that I could not even imagine, yet have stewarded the little that they have and allowed God to grow it into something miraculous for an entire community.

Their stories lead me to reflect on the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25, a story that Jesus told to help his followers understand our calling and responsibility to use wisely what he has given us to bring him honour and glory.

It’s the story of a wealthy master who gives his servants different amounts of money while he goes away on a journey. The servants do different things with the talents: two of the servants trade with them and make more, while the third simply buries the riches in the ground. Those famous words, ‘well done, good and faithful servant’, come from this story: when the master returns, he is pleased with the first two servants for their faithfulness over little, promising them more, and welcoming them into ‘the joy of the master’. The parable is seen as a way to encourage Jesus’ disciples to use their gifts to serve God, which could be time, personal abilities or wealth. I see Delphine and her colleagues in this: they took the little they had, and multiplied it for the glory of God. But it relates to us, too, doesn’t it?

hunger pains

scarcity to abundance

How often do we compare what we have to others, whether that be our possessions, gifts or abilities? We can use this to make excuses: ‘If only I had a little bit more money, I would be more generous!’ or ‘If I had more free time I would serve my local community more!’

But if this parable teaches us anything, it’s that the amount we start with matters little; it’s what we do with it that really matters.

Like Delphine, we must simply look at what is in our hands and be faithful with what we have been given.

And this is what so many of you have done in response to the World Development Appeal over the years.

Time and time again, we at Tearfund are blown away by how our supporters in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland consider what is in their hands and give of this, often sacrificially. And we see the impact of this, all around the world, in the lives of those like Delphine, who take on the baton and help still more people move from lives of scarcity to lives of abundance. Thank you for your support: whether financial, or through prayer, or giving of your time. Well done, good and faithful servants!

“Like Delphine, we must simply look at what is in our hands and be faithful with what we have been given.”

You can find out more about this year’s World Development Appeal by visiting www.presbyterianireland.org/ worlddevelopment

– 07

GLOBAL MISSION

IN SOUTH KOREA Rev Uel Marrs, PCI’s Global Mission Secretary, had the honour of travelling to South Korea to be a delegate at the Fourth Lausanne Congress in Seoul in September. He kindly shares some of his takeaways and reflections with us.

T

he number of people all gathered in the main auditorium at the Songdo Convensia Convention Centre was mind-boggling! Over 5,400 delegates seated around 896 tables, including a good representation from Ireland! Thanks to technology, another 2,000 delegates joined online and a further 30,000 from all around the world joined the livestream.

At the outset I had prayed very simply that God would lead me to encounters with the right people, that I would have divine appointments with those people he wanted me to meet. I was not disappointed, and over the week I was privileged to have some very meaningful conversations with Christians from Estonia, Madagascar, India, Egypt, the USA and more!

What a week of inspiring presentations and seminars delivered by some of the best known, most influential Christian leaders alive today. The corridors and hallways of the convention centre constantly thronged with people and at every turn, there were new people to meet, stimulating and challenging conversations enjoyed. Indeed, the opportunity was second to none when it came to networking.

In terms of its organisation, a convention on this scale was beyond my comprehension. I began to realise that one key to the success of the Congress was the 500 strong service team and an army of 1,600 volunteers who were, I am led to believe, mostly from one local congregation in Seoul!

Rev Uel Marrs

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The volunteers popped up everywhere, from the moment you arrived at the airport, helping with signposting and luggage, forming guards of honour at several of the entrances to the Convention Centre in order to welcome every delegate arriving for registration, and at the heart of arrangements for fleets of buses taking delegates to dozens of hotels up to a radius of 15 miles from the convention centre.

Volunteers were there in the dining room handing out meals, they turned up in so many unexpected places and were willing to stand for hours on end, holding notice boards with messages as simple as “Have a nice day” or “God bless you”. It was, however, their unflagging disposition of joy that was so uplifting. Behind the whole event, though I never discovered it, there was a 24/7 prayer meeting throughout the week that was

attended by nearly 7,000 Koreans from the local churches praying through every aspect of this Lausanne gathering.

To my mind, these volunteers, nameless to me, were oil in the machinery. They contributed very significantly to the Lausanne Congress running smoothly, and their witness spoke powerfully to me of the theme of the Congress, “Let the Church declare and display Christ together” and, indeed, of what Christian service should look like in a way that no sermon or presentation during that week could ever have managed to do.

Of all my take-aways from the Congress, this was my most immediate one, this vast army of servant-hearted Korean volunteers.

Yet I came away asking myself what was the source of their infectious enthusiasm, their sustained, joyful, service? As I did, my mind jumped to a familiar passage, John 13, where I believe Jesus gives us some insight into the secret of humble servant-heartedness.

In John 13, Jesus and his disciples are attending an evening meal where normal custom was that the owner of the home would assign the least favoured servant to wash the feet of the guests. On this occasion, however, this lowly task appears to have been overlooked. Before the disciples had time to process what was going on, Jesus, very possibly the guest of honour, steps up and washes his disciples’ feet and in verse three we may have some indication of the source of Jesus’ servant heart,

Left to right - Lausanne 4 Ireland delegates, the welcome from Congress volunteers and one of the speakers sharing at the podium.

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God, so he got up…” John 13:3.

Might it have been the knowledge of his greatness that enabled Jesus to carry out what was the task of a slave, a chore considered least of all? Was it the knowledge that he was special in his Father’s eyes that meant he freely, humbly served in this way?

As I reflected further on that vast army of Korean volunteers, I wondered if the servant heart displayed by each one was because, although they were nameless to me, each one by faith understood that they were known, loved and special to their Heavenly Father? Trusting God had given them an eternal name, they could more easily accept anonymity in this world. They took on the most tedious, mundane tasks in a manner

that made me feel that “I am only beginning to process amidst such a vast sea of this week-long experience, but my people, I was seen and cared most immediate takeaway from the for. I am only beginning to process this week-long Convention was the way in which these experience, but my most volunteers modelled servanthood so immediate takeaway from beautifully, in a way that needs to be the Convention was the way at the heart of mission today.” in which these volunteers modelled servanthood so beautifully, in a way that needs to be at the heart of mission today. of life, that we are encouraged to carry the cross, giving of ourselves sacrificially and Is it not the case, when we are assured compassionately in service? that Jesus has prepared for us a heavenly mansion, we may be more readily willing to With more than one billion people in our serve, even if it would mean homelessness world still living in abject poverty, and two or poverty? Is it not in knowing there is a billion or more who have never heard the place for us at the heavenly banquet, that gospel, the Fourth Lausanne Congress, not we delight to serve by fasting and praying least through its army of Korean volunteers, for the neediest in this world? Is it not in challenged me afresh to declare and display believing Jesus has won for us the crown Christ with a servant-heart.

– 09

QUICK QUESTIONS

QUICK QUESTIONS WITH –

HELEN FREEBURN We travel west to Galway to chat with Rev Helen Freeburn, the minister of Galway Presbyterian Church since 2013.

“I see God at work on Sundays as we gather and focus on his Word and being his witnesses, and when we meet together for prayer, and during the kids or family clubs we run.”

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Rev Helen Freeburn pictured on left

So Helen, welcome to Inspire. Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

I was born in Tullamore, Co. Offaly and I grew up near Newcastle, Co. Dublin, the youngest of four girls! It was at a Scripture Union camp as a child that, by the grace of God, I gave my life to following Jesus, to knowing and sharing his good news and love.

I studied French and Scholastic Philosophy in Belfast, and spent time as a youth worker in the Lucan Centre and at Lucan Presbyterian church, before completing a Theology degree in Aix-en-Provence, France. I then returned home and was indeed blessed to get married to the wonderful Dave!

More time in pastoral work followed, and then a move to Belfast for training and I served as an assistant minister in Harmony Hill Presbyterian church, before we were called to mission and ministry in Galway.

Some of the things I enjoy include the sea, the arts, going to the cinema, all things French and slowly improving my Irish, ‘le cúnamh Dé’ (in Irish - literally with the help of God!).

Hearing stories of global and local mission make my eyes tear up and my heart warm!

When were you installed as minister in Galway and what are some of the key things that have happened since you moved there?

Just over 11 years ago, the Lord called us to Galway and I was ordained here. For us, the move reinforced how the Lord has a plan, as we strongly felt called to here, and it all became possible at the right time.

I remember though that, while we were praying over where the Lord was sending us, there was one thing that bothered me, and I asked the Lord, “Why did I learn French and have a heart for it if we are called to minister in Ireland?” After the first service in Galway, women from Cameroon and the DRC surrounded me, saying loudly and joyfully in French over me, “When we heard the pastor coming spoke French we praised God!” It was a humbling moment, and I realised that I had arrived in probably the most French speaking PCI church on the island of Ireland! The Lord knew what he was doing, even if I didn’t!

This was one of many moments that showed us the Lord leads, loves, provides and guides. In general, we have seen a lot of change here over the years as transience is a part of life in Galway. This brings joys and opportunities, but also struggles and difficulties at times. The first seven years here were an exciting time of ministry and mission both in Galway, city and county, and in the surrounding areas, and we have seen the church core grow. We are a very multicultural family in the church and this is a huge blessing.

Just after the Covid-19 pandemic, the church which had also been part of the Methodist Church in Ireland, due to changes with Charity regulation law, moved solely under PCI, whilst keeping historic links with MCI. This has not always been an easy journey but the Lord has kept us united and growing together in him and we recently elected our first kirk session.

What do you find at the moment is the most challenging part of ministry?

I find the relentless rhythm with ministry hard at times, and I’m not always good at just being with the Lord and being refreshed in him. At times there is a loneliness with ministry, and a sense of isolation due to our geographic location, and also due to being a female minister serving our Lord Jesus through PCI.

Where do you find God at work?

In others. So many people I have been privileged to serve have known great traumas in life - war, abuse, danger, and others live everyday with hearing racist comments said to them in the street. But their love for God, for his Word, their deep faith and commitment to Christ and to others humbles me. They are the missionaries God has sent here and I see God at work through them.

I see God at work on Sundays as we gather and focus on his Word and being his witnesses, and when we meet together for prayer, and during the kids or family clubs we run. And of course in those everyday ‘random’ conversations when you suddenly realise God has placed you where you are ‘for such a time as this!’

What has been your biggest encouragement to date since you started?

Seeing young people give their lives to following Jesus! It has been a privilege to witness this, both young people from church and those visiting on an exchange. A more general one, would be experiencing lots of beautiful moments when we could see the grace of God knitting us together, as we live, love and grow in him, together.

How can we pray for you in your role?

Thank you for praying. Please pray for Galway.

Please pray also for wisdom, overflowing love and the Spirit’s leading regarding outreach and community events, pastoral visits, preaching and meetings, and for us as we seek to build so we’ll have good meeting rooms for kids, groups, perhaps a cafe room accessible from the street, and church toilets. May the Lord Jesus be glorified!

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INSPIRE CAREERS

RUNNING A

CO-OPE “I had always been very struck by work as worship, and work as mission, and work as an outworking of what it is that God has called me to do.”

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ERATIVE At 35-37 Market Square in Lisburn City you will find a remarkable local business called Sonas, a cafe, community space and grocery store all in one. We chat to Julie Hoey, one of the directors running the co-operative, about her career and where God has called her to witness for him.

I

studied Geography at Strathclyde University which took me to Scotland where I lived and worked for many years. I was employed by the local government and then, after Scottish devolution, I began to work in policy. My husband Stephen and son Sam and I came back to live in Northern Ireland eight years ago.

Mark Greene’s books Thank God it’s Monday and Fruitfulness on the frontline changed the trajectory of my life. Mark mentored me when I was pregnant with Sam. I took a career break as well as maternity leave, taking some time to reflect. I had always been very struck by work as worship, and work as mission, and work as an outworking of what it is that God has called me to do. I did a lot of work with Ruth Walker, another mentor who led Mission Scotland and then I took over her job. All of this has shaped my understanding of how our faith is integrated with our life.

Sonas opened on 1st December 2023 and in that year, we have felt welcomed into the city. The project was a long time in gestation so when we opened, people were really excited to see inside. It is so much more than a cafe!

Continues...

– 13

INSPIRE CAREERS

Sonas is a co-operative, with three directors, so we are a The Council has done amazing things here. There is a real business with a purpose - we aim to reinvest our resources commitment in Sonas to amplify what is good about the place. Our into the city and create employment and operate a sustainable presence on social media is sharing what else is going on in the business. Sonas is Irish for happiness - the seed of the idea came city. We don’t expect people to do all their shopping in Sonas or out of the Covid-19 pandemic when we noticed empty shelves in even in Lisburn but we encourage people to come into the city to the supermarket. I was involved in a community growing project connect, meet their friends here, go to the library, go to the Linen and we were wondering what to do with our surplus courgettes, Museum, the art gallery. Some (shopping here) beats none. We are and so we thought of a pop-up shop. There are lots of empty shop blessed with loads of events and we encourage people to be part of units and out of that came a much bigger commitment to this them. Community and food are so important to me and they are a space. A previous director put a deposit down and began a long great way to live incarnationally in sharing together. process of what we were going to do and how we would operate. A lot of work and thought has gone into the space.

We also have a studio at the back with an option “... but we care because we have to expand upstairs.

read our Bible and listened to the spirit. It isn’t easy but you learn to lean into God.”

I call myself the accidental entrepreneur taking this on at the age of 55! I manage Sonas alongside a 24-hours a week job in the public sector leading a large team. When you believe that God has called you to something, there is a joy but there is a privilege in the hard work and endeavour. Sonas is part of what God laid on my heart to bless the city.

Businesses can have different metrics of success. The metrics for us are - did we change the atmosphere, did we encourage others in their entrepreneurial journey, did we create sustainable employment, did we build on people’s skills, did we create a hope filled space? Those are all important metrics for me as well as footfall and covering our costs.

It worries me how disconnected we are from the people who produce our food. We have lots of suppliers who are female entrepreneurs doing their thing! Sonas is a significant way to amplify and support one another. I feel we have a great food culture here. Some of our suppliers include Ballydown Milk, Helen’s Bay Organic, Suki Fairtrade Tea and Matthew Algie coffee.

For me, this has been a faith project to bring something distinctive to the city - an act of outrageous hospitality. We greet people face to face and greet them in the eyes, we remember people’s names and remember their coffee order. Everyone is made to feel welcome. People come in, they sup with you as it were.

I have a real heart for Lisburn. We felt very drawn to live in the city centre and we seek to bless the city and support church leaders in their well being. Sometimes you wonder why we care so much when perhaps others don’t seem to, but we care because we have read our Bible and listened to the Spirit. It isn’t easy but you learn to lean into God. It’s been a big part of what God has spoken into my life in terms of what he has brought me to be.

We have lots of different groups come in to use the space, from the community and from churches. We want to create somewhere that is different - excellent in its own way and is homely and of its place. It is of Lisburn.

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My Mum Claire died in April. She was in the shop the Saturday before she died on the Monday, she was a great supporter of Sonas. I started texting her 80 days before her 80th birthday with a message each day along the lines ‘80 reasons I am thankful you’re my mum’. It sparked a lot of fun memories that were then used in her eulogy at her funeral. She had a real legacy of faith and influenced so many people, including me.

Building daily and weekly rhythms of rest is important to me. I love reading, I feel like I have so much more still to grow in prayer.

A big part of my heart is to see church leaders supported and for them to connect with each other. I have church leader friends in many denominations and this has been very special. My Dad is a retired minister (Rt Rev Dr John Dixon), but even when I lived in Glasgow, I helped connect other church leaders and we visited each other’s building and chatted about where God was at work.

That was really encouraging.

Church leaders are an emergency service, pastoring to many in need. Because I’ve worked in the public sector all my life, I wanted to connect church leaders into what the public and voluntary sectors are doing and how they can bless Lisburn, so we set up a forum.

We do prayer walks around the city. We seek to encourage people to shop local and in independent businesses and to think of what their calling is - how they can bless their city like it says in Jeremiah 29:7.

We’re really excited about Christmas - Castle Gardens will have the free light show and we hope to be open late to help warm people up! Do come and see us!

– 15

BOOK REVIEW

SHARING THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS WITH OTHERS As we reflect on our Presbyterian Women theme of being Entrusted and particularly after the September event, Entrusted to Share, many churches will plan and prepare for a variety of Christmas services and events.

S

ome adults who come along, perhaps with their children who are in church organisations, may not be regular church attendees and so there is an opportunity to share Jesus in a new way. Everyone likes to receive a gift, especially at Christmas, which our modern world has turned into a stressful time for many families. Giving the gift of a book can help bridge the gap between churches and the people in their communities, offering them a takeaway to consider their faith in the comfort of their own home.

Andrew Wilson (pictured) is Teaching Pastor at King’s Church London. He is the author of several books, including God of All Things, 1 Corinthians For You and Spirit and Sacrament, and is a columnist for Christianity Today.

He has written It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas as an evangelistic book explaining why Jesus is the best thing about Christmas. It is a small pocket sized slim book and at only 58 pages makes an easy read, particularly for those who perhaps would be intimidated by a bigger book.

These could be handed out at the end of a service or given to children alongside the perhaps more traditional selection box gift with a message inside ‘for the family to enjoy at Christmas’.

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In each chapter, Andrew introduces one of the aspects of the festive season that makes me feel like it’s really Christmas. And he uses each of those things as a lens through which to look back to the first Christmas and consider the world-changing difference it has made.

Knowing the real reason why Jesus came to earth as a baby is the good news that all families need to hear.

It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas is published by the Good Book Company and can be bought in bulk with discounts if your church is considering gifting copies. Remember to pray for the book to be a powerful ministry if you do decide to give it away this Christmas.

BULK DISCOUNTS 10 copies for £2.10 each 50 copies for £1.80 each 100 copies for £1.00 each Scan the QR code opposite to get your copy!

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JANUARY READING CHALLENGE

W

e are delighted to introduce the third Presbyterian Women January Reading Challenge to kick start your 2025. We pray this study will help us as, with God’s grace, we enter a new year together.

Given our theme verse for Entrusted is found in Luke 12:28, we have decided to explore the gospel of Luke in full. We have laid out a plan to explore all 24 chapters over the 31 days of January. Luke’s Gospel begins and ends with the focus on women and their part in the story.

Throughout the gospel of Luke we see women in many roles: prophesying, proclaiming, blessing, being healed, contributing, witnessing, anointing, rising from the dead, within parables, speaking to Jesus in a public setting, sitting at Jesus’ feet like a disciple, condemning, and part of coming conflicts and trials.

We are grateful to Alison Soye for once again producing beautiful illustrations to help us focus on this important New Testament book.

Make sure to follow the Presbyterian Women page on Facebook to get reminders and some helpful insights into this amazing New Testament book.

Photograph by Levi Kyiv

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– 19

A REFLECTION

MALAK THE HEBREW WORD FOR MESSENGER

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Long-haired, long-bearded, grasshopper-and-honey-eating John the Baptist is the Advent Man. We hear a lot about him during the four weeks of Advent. John is the malak, the messenger, the voice of the one crying in the wilderness. The Hebrew noun is usually translated “angel,” because most of its occurrences refer to heavenly messengers. John is the one whom Malachi prophesied, “Behold, I send my messenger [malak], and he will prepare the way before me” (Luke 7:27).

Whether the Lord’s malak is from heaven or earth, their vocation is the same: they direct us not to themselves but to the one whose message they voice. They are word-givers, not attention-seekers. They decrease so that the Lord might increase. The malak of the Lord points us away from ourselves in repentance, to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Reflect on how you can be a malak of the Lord where God has placed you this Christmas time.

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PARENTING

ENTRUSTED TO BE A MUM

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Gail Gamble is Senior Administrator with PCI’s Council for Social Witness. We’re delighted that she is willing to share about the struggles and demands of being a mum and the importance her faith plays in her being a parent. We hope it encourages those who are entrusted to being mothers to keep persevering and bringing their children up to know Jesus.

D

o you ever sit down after getting the kids to bed and think… WHAT A DAY! As a busy wife and working mum of two girls, I often find myself juggling many tasks daily, taking a deep breath and carrying on while, in my head, continually questioning my parenting – am I doing what is right? Am I a good mum? Is the house clean enough? Should I have told them off for that thing they did? Should I have allowed an extra 15 minutes of screen time before bed so I could do the dishes and get a wash on? Are they eating enough fruit and vegetables? The list is endless.

But the truth is, there is no right or wrong way to parent. I think we are all guilty of wondering if we are doing what’s best for our children, and society has very much made us that way. Television and social media often depict idyllic family life, where mums and dads have it all together and everyone lives in harmony. Which, as you and I know, is not the case in the chaos of family life!

Parenting in the 21st century is not for the faint hearted! Between caring for our children, extra-curricular activities and the demands of home and work life, it’s safe to say life is busy. On top of that, as Christians, we constantly put pressure on ourselves to be the best parents and set a Godly example for our children.

Although the Bible isn’t exactly a ‘how to’ manual for how to bring up our children, it is filled to the brim with wisdom for guiding our children through life and teaching them how to fully rely on God.

in week out from the Bible. When I became a Christian I never imagined I’d be taking part in summer teams going into Belfast city centre to distribute gospel literature and witness for Jesus. At Belfast Bible College, we would meet to pray for those we had encountered and worship together afterwards.

That rooting in Christ as a child enabled me for all those times.

However, I can’t help but feel that we live in a different world now. Life for my children growing up is completely different with so much worldly pressure on their young shoulders. Children seem to grow up much quicker these days and our instinct will always be to protect them from the world. I believe when parenting our children in the ways of God, it should be our desire not just to teach them but that his truth will reach their heart and resonate there.

In Deuteronomy 6:6-9 the Bible tells us that teaching our children the ways of the Lord is a round - the - clock commitment: at home, out and about, in the morning, in the evening.

This means living out the love of Christ daily in front of our children and not just relegating it to attending church on a Sunday. It must be embedded in the very fabric of our everyday lives. We must teach our children that Jesus will see us through the highs and lows of life, shaping how we think and react to situations we face. This is the greatest gift we as parents

“As a mother, no matter how many times I fail, if I have drenched my children in prayer and taught them to rely fully on Jesus then I can rest in the knowledge that my husband and I have done something right and leave the rest to God.”

As a child I grew up in a Christian home attending Richview Presbyterian Church and the Belfast City Mission. I went to Sunday School, Girls’ Brigade, Christian Endeavour, Youth Club and the Children’s Meeting, basically if there was something on – I was there. I loved it but it was also of huge benefit to me as a young person to receive such grounding in Christ - to be taught week

can give our children, planting seeds in our kids lives that grow over a lifetime. I often joke with my husband, Stephen, that if one of our girls is misbehaving, they get that from him! There is no doubt that our children look like us, act like us and pick up our personalities and behaviour. My husband

would tell you that our youngest, Ellie, gets her chattiness and the fact that she never stops from me! However, what I would truly love to ingrain in our girls’ lives is a heart for serving God and sharing that with others. As a mother, no matter how many times I fail, if I have drenched my children in prayer and taught them to rely fully on Jesus then I can rest in the knowledge that my husband and I have done something right and leave the rest to God. Recently, our eldest daughter Karis, who is 13, did some cleaning for my uncle. She met me after work excited to tell me that he had paid her for her duties. Karis continued to say she didn’t have the original amount he had given her. I automatically assumed that she had stopped off at the shop for sweets while walking to meet me. I was about to tell her she should have saved her money …

However, she continued to tell me that she had given some of her earnings to a homeless man she had seen outside in need. It thrilled me that she had chosen to be kind and show the love of Jesus in a practical way.

So, at the end of the day when the kids are in bed and you’re thinking, what a day - take some time to be completely alone with God. It might be five minutes, it might be an hour, it might be while you’re out walking the dog.

No matter how long it is or where, take time to connect with the Holy Spirit reminding yourself of where your strength comes from.

We are never parenting alone. God is with us, he is on our side, we just need to draw near to him.

We truly find our identity in Christ, so, when we solely rely on him, we might just find ourselves being more loving, joyful, patient, kind and content.

That’s not to say there won’t be days when our children test us to the limit and we snap. But in those instances, it’s important to remember that, when we invite Jesus into our whole lives, including our parenting, we will see fruit.

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ENCOURAGEMENT

T HE POWER O F SAY I N G

‘HELLO’!

Laura Sanlon has always had a vision for God’s mission in our world. She spent 27 years serving churches in Spain and completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Missional Leadership from York St John University. She is currently undertaking research about the different nationalities arriving and settling in Ireland and shares with us an amazing encounter she had recently to inspire us.

I

n July, I carried out a research field trip to Donegal town. After a meeting with a church leader I went for a walk. I came across two ladies, who were obviously Muslim because of their dress, walking with two young children.

I decided to speak to them and said ‘Hello’ and then asked them if they spoke English. One lady did and so we started a conversation. Within a few minutes the lady invited me to her home for a drink of tea as she lived close by. I was a little surprised but I accepted. She welcomed me into her home and immediately prepared a cup of tea for me. Then she offered me food. Her husband is a chef and had made biryani, a rice dish, earlier in the day for some guests. She told me it is very special and insisted I try some.

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I spent time playing with the children and then she told me about her life. The family were from Bangladesh and were now living and working in Donegal. Her husband runs a restaurant and their relatives were living in Dublin. After a while chatting, it was the children’s bedtime so I left.

I know there are big issues to tackle as our leaders seek to help and accommodate many of these people who have arrived in our country. I understand the housing difficulties. I have also applied for housing and was awarded zero points and have not been helped.

There are many other issues but violence won’t solve these problems.

I was surprised how quickly and easily I was welcomed into this lady’s home and offered incredible hospitality. It all started because I decided to say ‘Hello’ to a stranger and take an interest in her.

Like others, I witnessed the awful scenes on the streets of my home city in July with shock and disgust. They reminded me of the scenes I witnessed as a young girl growing up in Belfast - people wearing balaclavas, vehicles burning and objects being thrown in riotous behaviour. I remember how it made me feel and how scared I was of it all.

What a difference it would make if we all took time to say ‘Hello’ to the new people around us! Our lives would become richer by learning about them, their lives, their cultures and their challenges.

As we welcome them by simply greeting them, I am sure many will respond like the lady in Donegal and surprise us by welcoming us into their lives and homes.

When I think of the lovely lady who welcomed me into her home in Donegal, I realised we were both strangers in that town, but both of us made an effort to connect and we were introduced to different worlds and cultures and what an incredible experience that was. I will never forget it.

I wonder what would happen if those who carried out the terrible acts of violence were to meet, in calmer situations, some of the people they were seeking to attack, and just said ‘Hello’!

It is wonderful to see how so many of the churches throughout all of Ireland (North and South) are welcoming people from new nations. They offer help, food and English classes to those who need to learn the language. But there are many who are settling and serving in our churches.

They are helping to build the churches and “It is wonderful to see strengthen them and at the same time bring how so many of the diversity in worship, service and the lives of churches throughout all our churches and the lives of the other ‘local’ of Ireland (North and people in the churches.

South) are welcoming people from new nations. They offer help, food and English classes to those who need to learn the language.”

If they listened to their stories they may hear why these people attempted to come here. Maybe they were escaping situations of violence. Maybe they are seeking to start a better life for their families because their home countries offer them no future and no hope. Maybe they would discover some of them have come here to invest in our country working in all areas including education, engineering, health care or starting their own businesses like some that were destroyed in the riots.

Maybe one day, those who carried out the violence or some of their loved ones will need some of these people to nurse them, care for them in hospital or in a care home or receive them into their own homes as carers because our healthcare system needs them.

I have travelled and witnessed the situations of people in many parts of our world who face great need. I have talked to young people living in the slums of Nairobi who face hunger practically every day of their lives. I have witnessed people trying to climb the high fences on the border of Morocco to try and get into Spanish territory because of the lack of work in their country.

I have seen people sleeping on the streets in India. When I see the circumstances of their lives I can understand why they risk everything to find a better life for themselves and their families. I would do the same. I can imagine those carrying out the violence and riots would do the same, faced with those circumstances.

Maybe we could all value and appreciate the lives of privilege we have compared to others.

People will have heard of Job from the Bible who is famous for all the suffering he experienced in his life. In one of his discourses he says: “I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger.” Job 29:16 Even thousands of years ago when Job lived, there was a need to help strangers!

Years later, Jesus Christ taught us how to love our neighbours in Luke 10 when he said “Love your neighbour as yourself.” To explain what he said he told the well known story of the ‘Good Samaritan’ who went out of his way to help someone who was not from his religious background, culture or race, when others who you would expect to help, just walked by.

Jesus asked: “Which …do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37 We can start to show mercy to our new neighbours by just saying ‘Hello’. It would be amazing and would transform our society if we all just started to say ‘Hello’ to our new neighbours!

My experience in Donegal has challenged me and encouraged me to say “Hello’ more often when I see our new neighbours. Will you do the same?

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SHE INSPIRES

CATHERINE BOOTH T H E A R MY M OT HER

Rosemary Spiers, Deaconess at Greenwell Street Presbyterian Church in Newtownards, read a book by Vance Christie entitled Women of Faith and Courage and felt compelled to write for Inspire about a lady whose life contained many trials, danger and health issues and yet she was entrusted to share the gospel with others - Catherine Booth.

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Catherine Booth was born in 1829 in Derbyshire, England to Sarah and John Mumford, a family of Methodist association. She received a strict evangelical upbringing and was home educated by her mother.

In 1855, Catherine married William Booth. They shared Methodist values and a passionate belief in the need for reform of the Church’s outreach to the ‘unsaved’. Together they were the founders of the Salvation Army which began on the streets of East London in 1865 taking God’s Word directly to the people.

Catherine was influential in the design of the ladies’ uniform, to be plain, distinctive, modest and attractive. They became known as the ‘Hallelujah lasses’ in their black uniforms and bonnets.

Both Catherine and her husband were heavily involved in public ministries and also were devoted to their eight children, leading in family Bible reading and prayer. The Sabbath was carefully observed, believing that Sunday should be a happy day.

The Army entrusted the gospel in various ways - marching the streets, preaching the gospel in theatres and circuses, adapting secular tunes to many of the spiritual lyrics and reaching out to the disadvantaged with compassion and the message of the Saviour who loved them.

The Army doubled in size and expanded across the world. Catherine was busy with speaking engagements in cities and towns across the land. However, the Salvationists experienced opposition to the gospel. In 1882, two female Salvationists died from injuries whilst others were tied together with rope and pelted with hot coals.

Sadly, in Victorian England, prostitution was common in the cities with girls as young as twelve lured to the city for work enslaved in brothels. Catherine heartily took to the cause in seeking justice and freedom for young girls in prostitution. She wrote to the then Prime Minister and Queen Victoria urging them to change the age of sexual consent.

Two months before her daughter’s wedding in 1888, Catherine received the sad news that she had breast cancer. She was advised to have an operation to remove the tumour, which she refused due to her suspicion of medical advances at that time.

Catherine was unable to attend the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Salvation Army due to being so ill with cancer but she sent a message, written in large letters on a large sheet that was scrolled across the platform.

“My dear children and friends My place is empty, but my heart is with you. You are my joy and crown. Your battles, sufferings, and victories have been the chief interest of my life these past twenty-five years. They are still. Go forward! Live holy lives. Be true to the Army. God is your strength.

Love and seek the lost; bring them to the Blood. Make the people good; inspire them with the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Love one another; help your comrades in dark hours. I am dying under the Army flag; it is yours to live and fight under. God is my Salvation and Refuge in the storm. I send you my love and blessing. Catherine Booth.”

On Saturday 4th October 1890 Catherine Booth was released from her suffering, and, with her husband and family by her side, she stepped into eternity, aged sixty-one.

I hope you have been inspired by the words and life of Catherine Booth, as I was. As Catherine was entrusted with the gospel for her day, her final words of encouragement to go forth with the gospel rings true to us today.

Catherine is affectionately remembered as ‘The Army Mother’.

The Booths wrote a petition to the House of Commons, and it is said that the signatures on the pages reached two miles in length.

On 14th August 1885, the legislation of sexual consent was changed from thirteen to sixteen.

QUOTES FROM CATHERINE “

What the Lord wants is that you shall go about the business to which he sets you, not asking for an easy post, nor grumbling at a hard one.

“

When the church and the world can jog comfortably along together, you can be sure something is wrong. The world has not compromised - its spirit is exactly the same as it ever was. If Christians were equally as faithful to the Lord, separated from the world, and living so that their lives were a reproof to all ungodliness, the world would hate them as much as it ever did. It is the church that has compromised, not the world.

“

Many do not recognise the fact as they ought, that Satan has got men fast asleep in sin and that it is his great device to keep them so. He does not care what we do if he can do that. We may sing songs about the sweet by and by, preach sermons and say prayers until doomsday, and he will never concern himself about us, if we don’t wake anybody up. But if we awake the sleeping sinner he will gnash on us with his teeth. This is our work - to wake people up.

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THANKSGIVING

GRATEFUL HEART WINTER What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks, to sing an anthem to you, the High God! – Psalm 92:1 (Msg)

KILLYMURRIS PW 90TH ANNIVERSARY AFTERNOON TEA

Killymurris held a very special afternoon tea in October to celebrate their 90th Anniversary. Over 100 ladies came to enjoy the event and the guest speaker was a former president, Olive Hamilton.

Annie Johnston cut the cake, who also celebrated her 90th Birthday in October. The other ladies in the cake cutting picture are the current committee who lead the PW Group together - left to right, Olivia Scott, Rebecca Kerr, Anne Hamill and Alison Osborne.

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TELL YOUR STORIES

Have you a good-news story to tell us about your PW Group or women’s ministry project? Is there something you are grateful for that you would like to express to our readers? Please email up to 150 words and attach to the email any relevant photographs to pw@presbyterianireland.org

CAVANALECK AND AUGHENTAINE PW A Festival of Biblical Banners took place in September in Cavanaleck Presbyterian Church.

On display was a wide range of beautiful banners featuring illustrated Bible verses which had been hand stitched by the ladies of the Cavanaleck and Aughentaine Banner Group.

We were delighted to be joined by two former ministers – Rev David Curran and his wife Tricia, and Rev Dr Colin Dickson and his wife Marjorie who was a founding member of the Banner Group. This group was formed in 2008 and has completed 62 banners, some of which have been sent to missionaries in Uganda, Lapland, Jordan, Kenya and Lesotho, as well as to local churches. The Festival attracted visitors from across Northern Ireland and a delicious range of refreshments was provided by the members of the PW.

Pictured are the members of the Banner Group, from left, Ella Cochrane, Margery Smith, Marjorie Dickson (former and founder member), Hazel Gilmore, Jean Martin, Margaret McKibbin and Sylvia McCrory.

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THANKSGIVING

MEMORIES My name is Judith Brown and I am a member of First Presbyterian Church, Portadown. I have been clearing out the house of my late mother Madge Brown. I came across an old collection box from the ‘Women’s Association for Foreign Missions (Presbyterian Church in Ireland)’. The box has a slot at the top and the bottom has a trapdoor through which money can be emptied. The bottom was sealed with a sticky label (presumably to discourage retrieving money when change was needed in the house). There was an annual ‘box opening’ meeting (at the Women’s Missionary Association, though it has been through a few name changes since then) where everyone brought their box to be opened and the money counted. I remember my mum running around on box opening day gathering up change to top up the box! It brought back a lot of memories which I am sure others have of their mothers too.

ANNALONG PW

Annalong PW (Newry Presbytery) recently hosted a PW Mini Rally, with around 150 women attending. Our guest speaker was Rosie Kennedy, former Global Mission Worker along with husband, Steve, who was recently installed as minister in Enniskillen Presbyterian Church.

Rosie’s talk was inspired by the current PW theme, Entrusted. She shared how God had entrusted her to live in Romania and share, in an everyday way, her faith in Jesus Christ with those she came into contact with. She encouraged us all to live out the text in Romans 12 1-2 as found in the everyday language of The Message: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking- around life - and place it before God as an offering.

Supper was served afterwards and everyone enjoyed a chance to chat. It was a lovely evening of fellowship together.

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LISSARA PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

Lissara Presbyterian Women were joined by family and friends in September to celebrate 70 years since the formation in 1954 of what was then known as WMA, then PWA and now PW (Presbyterian Women).

As PW Leader, Elizabeth Patterson welcomed all to the dinner and said that she herself had been a member for half a century, having first joined in 1974 when the leader was the young wife of the then minister of the congregation, Rev Uel Matthews. She had experienced the Matthews era, the Armstrong era, the Abraham era, and now the beginning of the Burke era.

A special thank you to Eileen Robinson for all the years she had served in PW. Another thank you is due to Madge Andrews, a senior member who agreed to cut the Anniversary cake. They were presented with gifts by Rosemary Cuffey and Alison Burke.

A slide show ran throughout the evening showing photographs from as far back as the 30th Anniversary. The founder members

have all since died but the organisation is still flourishing and thankfully has a mixture of older and young members which bodes well for the future.

The catering, much enjoyed by everyone present, was provided by George Hanna of The Mulberry Tree. The evening was brought to a conclusion by a poem celebrating 70 years written and delivered

by Ann Patterson, and by words of encouragement by the current minister, Rev Alan Burke, that although there had been many changes in the past 70 years one constant remains - our God who does not change.

KNOWHEAD PW FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE 70TH ANNIVERSARY Knowhead PW completed 70 years of witness and they celebrated this achievement by gathering together with some friends at The Belfry Country Inn. The PW Leader, Elizabeth Wylie, Secretary Sylvia Huey and Treasurer Sadie Huey were presented with some beautiful gifts to celebrate their long service to the Group.

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THANKSGIVING

MUCKAMORE PW Jennifer Marks (pictured middle) was presented with a gift by Donna Hanlon (secretary, pictured right) and Sarah McNie (deputy leader, pictured left) to mark 18 years of dedicated and faithful service as PW Leader.

Jennifer was an enthusiastic and inspiring leader at Muckamore PW, and remains an active member with a love for all the women at Muckamore Presbyterian Church.

GARRYDUFF PW Each year the ladies of Garryduff PW hold a Spring Tea and the money raised is split between PW funds and a local charity. This year the charity we supported was Macmillan Cancer Support.

The photograph shows the presentation of the cheque by our leader, Margaret Scott, to Lynsey Atkinson who represented Macmillan Cancer Support, along with some of our PW members.

Servant Heart LEADING LIKE JESUS

Saturday 8th February 2025 Assembly Buildings, Belfast

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SAVE TE A THE D

TO SHARE Saturday 7th September 2024

If you missed the event you can watch the keynote address from Kate Patterson on the PW webpage. Scan the QR code to watch now.

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GLOBAL MISSION OVERSEAS NEWS Personnel News Gary and Mary Reid have been delayed in their return to Kenya on medical grounds. Please pray for them as they seek to discern God’s timing for the resumption of their work at PCEA Acacia Grove Mission.

Following a fruitful time of home assignment in the early autumn, Diane Cusick returned to Zambia at the beginning of November.

Pray for Diane as she engages in a full schedule of work in Early Childhood Development, including teacher training, consultation with church leaders and travelling extensively throughout Zambia.

Stephen and Angelina Cowan were on home assignment in Ireland during the autumn months, engaging in a busy programme of deputation, before returning to Kenya at the end of November.

Remember them as they settle in once again to life in Tuum and for every expression of outreach in which they are engaged.

Csaba and Ilona Veres will be on home assignment in Ireland during the month of January and into early February, taking the opportunity to highlight their work in children and family ministry and church planting in Bodaszőlő, Hungary. During this time, please continue to pray for the ongoing outreach initiatives of the Reformed Church in Hungary through the Bodaszőlő church plant.

Derek and Jane French would value your prayers as they engage in a varied winter programme of activities with Bilbao International Church and Grupos Biblios Unidos. Remember them as a family as Derek prepares to undertake deputation in Ireland during the first fortnight of February.

Information included in Global Mission News is supplied by the PCI Mission Department. While it is correct at the time of writing, which is normally some weeks before publication, readers should be aware that some details may subsequently change.

Up-to-date news and information are available online at: www.presbyterianireland.org/mission.

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Volker and JinHyeog Glissmann continue to serve from their base in Blantyre, Malawi, with Volker developing training resources for grassroots theological education, and JinHyeog as a music teacher in Phoenix Primary School. Pray for the Glissmann family, especially as Volker hopes to travel to Ireland for a period of deputation in Spring 2025.

Neil and Jenny Stewart received calls to mission service in Spain at the October meeting of the Council for Global Mission. Pray for Neil and Jenny, together with their children, Grace, Jonah and Zachariah, as Neil concludes his assistantship in Hamilton Road Presbyterian and as they prepare to move as a family to commence service with the Basque Country Project Team in teaching, discipleship and church-planting in Bilbao from Spring 2025.

Overseas Visits The Moderator, Rt Rev Dr Richard Murray, along with his wife, Lynn, are undertaking a visit to Christ the Saviour Presbyterian Church, Kraków, Poland, from 5th – 9th December, when they will also meet with leaders of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Poland.

PW delegation to the Hungarian Reformed Church (HRC) in Transcarpathia. Planning is underway for PW representatives to visit with the Hungarian Reformed Church in Transcarpathia (Western Ukraine) in early 2025.

Mission Department, Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Assembly Buildings, 2-10 Fisherwick Place, Belfast, BT1 6DW Tel: +44 (0)28 9041 7263 Email: mission@presbyterianireland.org Website: www.presbyterianireland.org/mission

GLOBAL PRAYER DIARY NAOMI KEEFE

DIANE CUSICK

Olinda, Brazil Mission: Church based community development and evangelism

Lusaka, Zambia Mission: Early childhood education

The young volunteers in the Good News Club have been sharing the idea of Mission in the World and encouraging the children to pray for various countries. They are now looking at the life stories of some missionaries.

What was coined M&Ms: ‘Missão no Mundo’, has now changed to ‘Missionários no Mundo’. Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor and Gladys Aylward are already on their list for sharing with the children. Pray these inspirational testimonies will draw more people to know and love Jesus.

Give thanks for opportunities of encouraging conversations with some of the parents and guardians of children who come to the Reading in the Park activities.

Give thanks for the family time Naomi was able to spend with her father who came to visit.

Please pray for the country of Zambia as it is in the midst of a severe drought. Give thanks for the first rains and pray that it continues so that the economy can begin to grow again.

Pray for the new General Secretary of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP), Rev Lazarus Chilenje as he learns about the role he will take for the next four years. Pray that he will be open and listen to God’s direction for our Synod. Pray also for Rev Friday Kapakasa who is the Moderator for the next two years.

Pray for the teachers in the Early Childhood Development centres as they help children to learn holistically through play, and help children to know that God loves them no matter their circumstances.

Pray for the plans for various evangelistic events coming up and over Christmas.

Continue to remember the families connected with the congregation of Beberibe.

GLOBAL MISSION WORKERS Naomi Keefe Brazil Da Caixa Postal 73 Codigo da agencia 32300018 AC Central Recife Avenida Guararapes 250 CEP 50010970 Brazil

Edwin & Anne Kibathi Partner Church Mission Workers - England 167 Wickhay Basildon Essex SS15 5AQ

Stephen & Angelina Cowan Kenya

Naomi & Thomas Leremore Kenya PO Box 23450-00100 Nairobi (GPO) Kenya

Csaba & Ilona Veres Hungary Vörösmárty Mihály u. 18 Hajdúböszörmény 4220 Hungary

Volker & JinHyeog Glissmann Malawi PO Box 30048 Chichiri Blantyre 3 Malawi

Diane Cusick Zambia

Gary & Mary Reid c/o Mission Department

Derek & Jane French Spain Calle Lekueder 9, 4A 48940 Leioa Spain

The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) PO Box 320261 Woodlands Lusaka 10101 Zambia

PCEA Tuum PO Box 13 Baragoi via Maralal 20601 Kenya

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hunger pains

scarcity to abundance

World Development Appeal 2024

Support the World Development Appeal to help communities in places like Rwanda and Honduras continue to provide food secruity.

Helping churches and communities transform and thrive.

Working together, serving our neighbours and glorifying God.

www.presbyterianireland.org/world-development